With today's insane oil prices, everyone is feeling to pain as they fill up their cars. Even though our gas prices are still low compared to many countries in Europe, some paying eight dollars a gallon, we struggle to get by. Many people are trying to trade in their gas guzzling SUVs for small cars, motorcycles, and mopeds. But there is an even greener alternative to these. Introducing the bicycle. The bike is small, simple, light, and is the most efficient machine on earth. Most adults only own bikes for weekend or evening riding, if they use it at all. But more and more are using them for commuting to and from work and on errands.
Distance does play a role on if you can ride your bike. A riding in good condition on a commuter bike should be able to average at least 10 MPH on a good road, if not more. You have to have a good quality bike in order for this to work.
Getting a Bike
If you do not have a bike, or yours is not very good quality, you will need to buy one. You should go to a bike shop with a good reputation and get them to properly size a bike for you. When you choose the style of bike, you should get one that matches your needs. A typical road bike has very thin tires which are easy to slip with, and hard in heavy traffic. The handle bars also required you to stay in an aerodynamic shape, which can hurt in some cases. Mountain Bikes are decent, but the tires are wide and knobby, which slow you down considerable and use more energy. The frames are also heavy, but will also stand up to abuse and hard riding. Mountain bikes are best if you have a commute more that a few miles, but you should get smoother tires to save much time and effort. A third type is cruiser. This bike is generally made for commuting. Cruiser tires are wider than road tires and have some tread, but not as much as mountain bikes. A bike shop technician should be able to help you decide. You should definitely not go to a warehouse with China made bikes if you want your new bike to hold up well. These bikes will almost definitely turn you away from using a bike in your commute. These places have employees throw bikes together as fast as they can, so they are not test driven or adjusted properly. They also will not be able to help you if the bike breaks. They are also hard to repair, as the parts are disposable and replacements will not fit readily. These places are, however, generally good to get some of your accessories.
Getting Accessories
There are several things in addition to the bike that you are going to need before you can commute. The first is a luggage rack. The simplest kind mounts onto the seat post and sticks out over your rear tire. Using this, you can strap on your briefcase, purse, gym bag, or what ever else you need. Also, you can get pannier bags, which resemble saddlebags. They hang off each side of the rack and come in a variety of sizes. Next are lights. If you are going to be traveling at night or dust, or in heavy traffic, these are a must. There is a multitude of type to chose from. For the headlight, you will need a bright, white light. The tail light needs to be red, and can be a solid, or flashing light. Some have small generators that run off the tires, while others run off batteries. If you opt for the battery-powered lights, be sure to buy rechargeable batteries, otherwise, you will run up quite a bill for batteries. A mirror, while not necessary, is very handy. Once you use one, you will never want to ride without one. There are different types of these as well. Some mount on your helmet, others on the handlebar. This is just a matter of preference. A small tool kit is also a good idea. Just a small one that straps under the seat is adequate. You also should carry an extra tube in case of a flat. Hopefully you are now well equipped with the knowledge you need to obtain and outfit a bike for you transportation needs. These wonderful machines are excellent for a daily ride to work and on errands. Good luck in the bicycle world.
